INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• What is one thing that if we did not have it would make life very difficult to live not to mention very hard to even exist? LIGHT!
• Think of how hard it would be to live if we all lived in darkness, with no access to an light of any kind. How long could we even live?
• Last week we started examining some of the “I AM” statements that Jesus made concerning Himself.
• These statements by Jesus were made to try to give us some insight into who He is and why He came.
• The statement we are looking at today gives us some more insight into the make-up of Jesus.
• Let’s give this statement some context.
• The Feast of Tabernacles referred to in John 7:2 has just happened. The feast lasted for seven days. On the first day, booths were constructed of fresh branches of trees.
• Each participant had to collect twigs of willow, and palm in the area of Jerusalem for construction of the booths. Every Israelite was to live for seven days in these during the festival, in commemoration of when their fathers lived in such booths after their Exodus from Egypt.
• Later additions to the ritual included a libation (The act of pouring liquid as a sacrifice to a god) of water drawn from the pool of Siloam (the probable background for Jesus’ comments on “living water,” John 7:37-39) and the lighting of huge Menorahs (candelabra) at the Court of the Women.
• By this, the Jews recalled the fact that God had been a light to them in the wilderness when they had come out of Egypt. Specifically, we remember that God led them by the pillar of fire. When Jesus says that He is the light of the world, He means that He is the fulfillment of that light of God.
• The water and the “pillar of light” provided during the wilderness wandering (when the people dwelt in tabernacles) was temporary and in contrast to the continuing water and light claimed by Jesus during this feast which commemorated that wandering period.
This statement ties chronologically with chapter 7, (the woman caught in Adultery does not seem to belong where it is in chapter 8.)
Secondly, Jesus’ statement is connected to what follows in John 9. Jesus meets a blind man, a man living in darkness, literally but also spiritually. To that man, Jesus also reveals Himself as the light of the world.
• It was against this background that Jesus makes the proclamation that He is the light of the world.
• Let’s turn to John 8:12, unlike last week we will not be covering 71 verses.
• SLIDE #2
• John 8:12(ESV) 12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. The function of light.
• “I am the light of the world.
• We will better understand this statement from Jesus as we contemplate the function of light.
• Let us look at a few logical functions of light.
• SLIDE #4
A. Light helps keep us safe.
• Do we not find safety in light? How many people want to walk across a dark parking lot? The light makes us feel a sense of security.
• Light allows us to see where we are going. Imagine driving with ZERO light at night, it would be called dodge car or demolition derby!
• When we are in the dark, we are more apt to get injured because we cannot see where we are going.
• SLIDE #5
B. Light exposes truth.
• Light can expose blemishes and defect. If you have a car that does not look so good to sell, show it at night!
• In the context of our message, I want to touch on three areas in which the light of Jesus shines in order to expose the truth of the matter.
• SLIDE #6
1. The truth about God.
• We see that God is a god of grace and truth through Jesus.
• SLIDE #7
• John 1:17(ESV) 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• We get to view the nature of God through Jesus, we can see what God is like through Jesus.
• SLIDE #8
• John 14:9(ESV) 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
• Through Jesus we see the truth concerning God, we see that God is not some cruel unloving deity, but rather that He is love.
• We see that John 3:16 is true when we see how Jesus dealt with people and when we see that He went to the cross for OUR sins!
• SLIDE #9
2. The truth about man.
• When we look at ourselves, we think that we are pretty good until we stand in the light of Jesus. When we are exposed to the light of Jesus, we are able to see that we are sinners in need of a Savior.
• We can get a true view of ourselves when we look at ourselves in the light of Jesus.
• SLIDE #10
• Romans 3:10(ESV) 10as it is written:“None is righteous, no, not one;
• Romans 3:23(ESV) 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
• These passages take on new meaning in the light of Jesus, we see that without Jesus we are lost, we have no hope!
• SLIDE #11
3. The truth about eternal life.
• We learn that God sent Jesus to show the way to eternal life!
• SLIDE #12
• John 14:6(ESV) 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• We see that if we do not give ourselves to Jesus we have no hope! Salvation comes through Jesus, nowhere else!
• We learn that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned and it is a precious gift!
• SLIDE #13
• Romans 6:23(ESV) 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• SLIDE #14
C. Light helps keep things healthy.
• Plant life would die without light, our bodies need some light for vitamins.
• I know when the sun does not shine for days at a time, my mental health would suffer!
• Light purifies things.
• How many of you have your toothbrush in the bathroom? YUK! GERMS!
• I have a tooth brush that uses uv light to kill the germs, I feel better about using it!
• SLIDE #15
• 1 John 1:7(ESV) 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
• By Jesus calling Himself the light, He is saying that He is the one who exposes us to truth about God, man and salvation. He is saying that He is the source of life, and truth.
• 1 John 1:7 leads to our next observation.
• SLIDE #16
II. How can we receive the blessings from Jesus?
• In our verse Jesus says…Whoever follows me
• SLIDE #17
A. We MUST follow Him.
• Notice the condition that Jesus puts on the passage. He tells us that the one who follows Him will receive the blessings.
• The reason that the promises are conditioned on our following Jesus is the fact that the light we possess is a reflected light; it is not our own light.
• The closer you are to the source the more light you will shine when you are using reflected light.
• The moon reflects the light of the sun, it does is not a source of light.
• Somewhere along the line people think that you can receive the benefits of Jesus without following Him.
• DO not intentionally go down the path of sin and then tell people that God is leading you down that path and you are waiting to see the blessing He has waiting for you.
• It is one thing to stumble and struggle it is another thing to intentionally walk in darkness and expect a blessing.
• SLIDE #18
• Ephesians 5:8(ESV) 8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
• Our life and how we live it is a reflection of the God we love and serve.
• SLIDE #19
III. What are the spiritual blessings we can receive from Jesus?
• There are a couple of blessings listed.
• will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
• SLIDE #20
A. We will not walk in darkness!
• The world is in darkness, we need to light of Jesus to guide our paths.
• The path that he lights will lead us to Heaven!
• SLIDE #21
• Proverbs 3:5-6(ESV) 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
• SLIDE #22
B. We will possess the light so we can share it!
• This is what evangelism is all about, sharing the light that we possess. Matthew 5:14 tells us that we are not to keep the light ot ourselves.
• We will have the light we can share with others.
• SLIDE #23
• Matthew 5:14-16(ESV) 14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
• Our light should attract others to Jesus! Our life should be the message of Jesus that others read!
• Folks need to see Jesus shining through our life!
CONCLUSION
Jesus tells us that He is the light of the world. The Spiritual need that Jesus is fulfilling is the need for light to guide us.
Without Jesus we walk in darkness. Without the light of Jesus we will not see a true picture of ourselves and our condition without Jesus.
The light of Jesus will lead us to God.
